'I was the most hated guy in Birmingham. I ignored the graffiti and I never got a penny to spend at Villa. I was given one simple goal: finish as high as possible without spending' Alex McLeish on swapping Birmingham City for Aston Villa

Alex McLeish poses with an Aston Villa shirt.

Alex McLeish risked his Birmingham City legacy when he swapped St Andrew’s for Aston Villa in 2011.

He had written his name into the history books for the Blues, famously clinching the League Cup that year against Arsenal – an achievement that would have pacified many supporters through the club’s subsequent relegation from the Premier League in the same season.

But plenty of sympathy will have exited with McLeish, when it became apparent he was heading for Villa Park, to manage City’s fiercest rivals.

How Alex McLeish handled crossing the Birmingham divide

McLeish won the League Cup with Birmingham in the same year he joined Villa (Image credit: Getty Images)

It is one thing to manage or play for two clubs either side of a derby during a career, but it’s another thing to switch directly between the two, mere months after lifting silverware with your former club.

McLeish did just that, and took the expected stick with it.

McLeish beat Arsenal to the League Cup in 2011 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Crossing the city was a tough one because, apparently, I was the most hated guy in Birmingham,” he tells FourFourTwo now. “I never took all that as seriously as perhaps the fans believed.

“I thought I could go in and prove everybody wrong again. You have that confidence and that’s your next mission.”

But it wasn’t just Blues fans it angered – the Villans’ faithful were also not best pleased at his appointment, with the entrance to their training ground defaced by their own fans in protest.

“I ignored the graffiti and stuff that was written about me,” McLeish said.

“I never got a penny to spend at Villa. I was given one simple goal: finish as high as possible without spending money.”

Some Villa fans weren't best pleased with McLeish's appointment (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Scotsman managed to avoid relegation with Villa that season, but that’s about it, finishing just above the drop zone.

Thankfully, given the heroics he pulled off to clinch that silverware for the Blues, time appears to be healing his reputation.

“I’m still welcomed at Birmingham despite going to Villa,” he revealed. “I’ve been back for a couple of games.

“Even in London, I was walking down the road and a white van pulled up, a guy wound the window down and said, ‘You gave me the best day of my life’ in a Brummie accent.

“I thought, ‘Cheers mate, get all your thousands of pals to say the same.’”